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Visit www.defenders.orgAbout Defenders of Wildlife
Defenders of Wildlife is a animal welfare organization based in WASHINGTON, United States. Annual revenue: $43.2 million. 3% of spending goes directly to programs. EIN: 530183181.
Verified certifications
Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.
Mission
Habitat and species protection.
Focus areas & reach
· What they work on and whereHow it stacks up against peers
· vs. 8 similar animal welfare in United StatesRed flags
· All clearWhere every $1 goes
Common questions
· Auto-generated from filings + methodologyDefenders of Wildlife is a registered animal welfare nonprofit based in Washington, DC, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 1947 and has been operating for 79 years. Its EIN is 530183181. It has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 89/100 (Strong transparency), indicating well-documented governance, financials, and contact details. The organization reports $49M in annual revenue. 141 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected.
Defenders of Wildlife has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 89/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 89 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for animal welfare charities in United States is 92/100.
Defenders of Wildlife is located in Washington, DC, United States. The organization was established in 1947 and has been active for 79 years.
Based on official tax filings, Defenders of Wildlife has $49M in annual revenue. It allocates 3% of expenses to programs and services. This is below the average of 96% for animal welfare charities in United States. Its revenue is significantly above the peer average of $1M. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.
Defenders of Wildlife is classified as a Animal Welfare organization, registered in United States. It operates as a Supporting organization (509(a)(3)). By size, it is categorized as a large organization. It has $49M in annual revenue. The organization has 141 disclosed officers and directors.
No red flags have been detected for Defenders of Wildlife. GiveRadar automatically screens charities for concerning patterns including high executive compensation, low program spending, and missing financial filings. Based on available official data, no issues have been identified.
Defenders of Wildlife has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 89/100 (Strong transparency) and no red flags have been detected, which suggests it is a well-documented organization. It is regulated by the IRS. 3% of expenses go to programs. The peer average is 96%. Visit the Defenders of Wildlife profile on GiveRadar for full details before deciding. GiveRadar provides data for research purposes and does not endorse any organization. Always do your own due diligence.
Defenders of Wildlife is a animal welfare organization based in WASHINGTON, United States. Annual revenue: $43.2 million. 3% of spending goes directly to programs. EIN: 530183181. Defenders of Wildlife is classified as a animal welfare organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 1947.
Among animal welfare charities registered in United States: Defenders of Wildlife's GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 89/100 is in line with the peer average of 92/100. It allocates 3% of expenses to programs, below the peer average of 96%. Its annual revenue of $49M is well above the peer average of $1M.
Yes, donations to Defenders of Wildlife are generally tax-deductible in the United States. Its EIN is 530183181, which you can use for tax filing purposes. Donors can typically deduct contributions on their federal income tax return if they itemize deductions. Consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.
Verified against 4 official sources, last refreshed .
Filing history
6 years on file from IRS 990 (FY2025): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.
See 5 years of revenue, expense breakdowns, and balance sheet.
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Tax-deductibility for donors
Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United States under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.
DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE is registered in United States. Donations from the Netherlands to charities outside the EU/EEA are generally not tax-deductible for Dutch donors unless the charity is listed on the Dutch ANBI register with foreign-recognized status.
Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.
Leadership
Officers & trustees (25)
Source: Public filings
Latest news
From global news sources
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Activity timeline
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Other animal welfare in United States, by integrity assessment
Sources and verification
Refreshed
- Registration and legal identity
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search
- Financial filings
- IRS Form 990 filings - Fiscal year 2025 most recent on file.
- Officers and trustees
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search - 141 disclosed in the public registry.
- Supplementary verification
- Charity Navigator
Data freshness
What we don't know
Honest gaps - our score reflects transparency, not impact
Methodology
GiveRadar combines public registry filings, ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, Charity Navigator, GuideStar, and news archives into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.
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Quick facts about Defenders of Wildlife
- What is Defenders of Wildlife?
- Defenders of Wildlife is a animal welfare supporting organization (509(a)(3)) based in Washington, United States. Defenders of Wildlife is a animal welfare organization based in WASHINGTON, United States. Annual revenue: $43.2 million. 3% of spending goes directly to programs. EIN: 530183181.
- When was Defenders of Wildlife founded?
- Defenders of Wildlife was founded in 1947.
- Who leads Defenders of Wildlife?
- Andrew Bowman serves as President & CEO.
- Where is Defenders of Wildlife located?
- Headquartered in Washington, United States.
- What is Defenders of Wildlife's annual budget?
- Annual revenue for fiscal year 2025 is approximately $10M-$100M. 3% of expenses go to program services.
- Is Defenders of Wildlife trustworthy?
- Defenders of Wildlife has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 89 out of 100 (Strong transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
- What is Defenders of Wildlife's registration number?
- IRS EIN: 530183181.
- What is Defenders of Wildlife's website?
- http://www.defenders.org